Invisalign® Teen: Invisible Orthodontic Care for Teenagers

By Alex Hecht on March 02, 2018

Over the years, more and more people have sung the praises of Invisalign®. This alternative to traditional braces adds an element of cosmetic dentistry to orthodontic care. Rather than using brackets and wires, Invisalign® uses clear plastic aligner trays. These trays apply strategic pressure to the teeth, helping shift the teeth into a more ideal position.

Over the years, a new form of Invisalign® has emerged that’s made use for teenage patients. This is known as Invisalign® Teen. Let’s take a moment to discuss Invisalign® Teen and the advantages of this new form of invisible orthodontics.

What Makes Invisalign® Teen Different?

Invisalign® Teen is just like traditional Invisalign®, but it was designed with teenage patients in mind. Orthodontists kept the age-related concerns of teenage patients in mind when creating and developing Invisalign® Teen, which leads to a much more effective form of treatment overall.

The Benefits of Invisalign® Teen

There are a few key benefits related to Invisalign® Teen, which it shares with traditional Invisalign® treatment:

Easy to Use - With Invisalign®, patients simply wear their aligners at all times save for when eating, drinking, or cleaning their teeth. After two weeks, they swap out the old aligner tray for the new one. Simple as that.

Easy to Clean - Brushing and flossing is no problem with Invisalign®. Just remove the aligner and clean your teeth as you normally would.

Hard to See - When an Invisalign® tray is in place, it’s difficult to spot, even when people are up close.

Hard to Complain - Invisalign® allows you to undergo orthodontic care without significant interruption of your routine. It’s hard to complain about Invisalign® when it’s so convenient for patients.

Good Candidates for Invisalign® Teen

Good candidates for Invisalign® Teen are people who have teeth that are poorly aligned or crooked. The malocclusion issues should be related to the position of the teeth per se. Patients who have alignment problems related to the shape of their palate or the position of the jaw would be better served with different orthodontic procedures.

Blue Dot Indicator

Invisalign® Teen features a unique blue dot indicator, which reminds patients that they should wear the next aligner in sequence. There’s a blue dot on the aligner tray itself, which fades over the course of two weeks. Once it’s gone, it’s time to move on.

Eruption Tabs for Emerging Teeth

Sometimes teenagers are missing one or two teeth when they start Invisalign® treatment. Not to worry. Invisalign® Teen includes eruption tabs, while allows incoming teeth to emerge into perfect alignment.

Replacement Aligners Just in Case

Finally, Invisalign® Teen provides a select number of replacement trays free of charge. If you happen to lose a tray, a new one can be provided to help ensure your treatment continues without significant hiccups or delays.

How Long Does Invisalign® Teen Treatment Take?

For most Invisalign® Teen patients, the overall treatment time takes about 12 to 24 months. That’s approximately the same amount of time someone would wear traditional braces.